Kenya has agreed to Somalia's request to extradite a Somali citizen believed to be senior al-Shabaab member Hassan Haji Hanafi, a Somali official told Sabahi Thursday (August 7th).

Somalia's Ambassador to Kenya Mohammed Ali Nur told Sabahi that the suspect was arrested August 3rd in Nairobi's Eastleigh neighbourhood for his alleged role in the killing of Somali journalists.

"The likelihood of him being Hassan Haji Hanafi is very high despite his protestation that he is not the one," Nur said, adding that the man believed to be Hanafi was in Kenya for specialised treatment for "battle like" injuries.

"Since the crimes he is arrested for happened in Somalia we requested the Kenyan government have him transferred to Somalia for further investigations and [to identify him]," he said. "We are glad that Kenya has agreed to our request because it is we who also requested his arrest."

Nur said the suspect would be extradited to Somalia once Kenyan authorities complete their own investigations.

Kenyan Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo did not respond to Sabahi's request for comment on the arrest and extradition agreement.